The Fresh Air Fund, at 115, Seeks Families and Donations

By EVELYN NIEVES

Published: May 5, 1991

For thousands of children living in the city's poorest neighborhoods, summer vacation means sitting on stoops or watching street life from fire escapes and tenement windows.

But 10,000 children will have the chance to roll in the grass, swim in a pond and gaze at a starry country sky through the efforts of the Fresh Air Fund, which today begins its 115th annual fund-raising campaign.

The Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit agency, has given poor city children summer vacations in the country since 1877, when the Rev. Willard Parsons of Sherman, Pa., asked members of his rural congregation to open their homes to children from New York's slums. Since then, more than 1.6 million children have had Fresh Air Fund vacations.

Through its "Friendly Towns" program, city children between 6 and 16 years old go live with volunteer families. Picking Up Bugs

For 9-year-old Wendy Quintanilla of the Bronx, a Fresh Air Fund summer is one of simple pleasures. It means swimming, playing on the beach and picnicking with her hosts, Kent and Laurel Morsch in Killingworth, Conn. She has spent the last two summers with them, in a neighborhood she says is filled with "pools, houses and birds." She likes to watch and pick up frogs and bugs, but lets them go "wherever they want." And last summer, she rode a "beautiful black horse" at a nearby farm, and has won the grand prize in a Fresh Air Fund drawing contest.

Last year, stemming a 20-year decline, the fund increased its number of host families, said its executive director, Jenny Morgenthau. It formed more committees to recruit families, Ms. Morgenthau said, since its traditional corps of volunteers -- homemakers -- has greatly diminished.

Now, about 7,000 families in 316 towns have a Fresh Air Fund child in their house for two weeks or more. Some live just minutes from the city; others are as far away as Vermont, Maine and Canada.

About 2,500 more children go to four Fresh Air Fund camps on a 3,000-acre site in Fishkill, N.Y., in Dutchess County. The camps include a planetarium, a wildlife refuge, a wilderness trail and a model farm. Last year, the fund began to send homeless families to camp on weekends. It also operates a "career awareness camp" in August for 100 junior high school children, and a "career awareness" program throughout the year that stresses responsibility, independence and goal-making, Ms. Morgenthau said.

This year, she said, more parents than ever want to give their children a respite from the sweltering streets.

"Given the recession and budget cuts," she said, "city parents are really dying to get their kids out. They want to give them a break."

It costs $314 for the Fund to sent a child to a family and $819 to send a child to a camp. Most of the expenses are for insurance and transportation. One-fifth of the budget is spent on administration and fund-raising. Because it is a member of United Way, which solicits donations through corporations, the fund cannot seek other corporate sponsorship. About 80 percent of its donations come from individuals. Choose Age and Sex

The Fund hopes to raise $3.7 million by October, and now has about $1.7 million.

Children are chosen based on financial need. Many come from families on public assistance, and are referred by 54 social-service agencies.

Like Wendy Quintanilla, about 60 percent of the children who stay with families are invited back again, and many stay longer than two weeks. A host can choose the age and sex of the guest. Families with a disabled child often invite children who have a similar disability.

Some Fresh Air Fund children stay in touch with their families for a long time. Ms. Morgenthau said she knows of a man in his 70's who still visits his host "father" in his 90's. And many families stay in touch with their Fresh Air Fund children throughout the year, she said, spending holidays with them and watching them grow up.

Donations may be sent to the Fresh Air Fund, 1040 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10018. Families who wish to be hosts may call (800) 367-0003 or (212) 221-0900.

Photo: Jenny Morgenthau, executive director of the Fresh Air Fund, with youngsters from the Bronx who will be taking Fresh Air Fund vacations. They are Grace Abrantes, kneeling, and, from left, Dayeshawn Williams, Wendy Quintanilla, Lisa Vasquez and Sharine Weaver. (Ruby Washington/The New York Times)